The campaign organisation of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, has alleged that individuals are working behind the scenes to frustrate his bid to become governor of Gombe State in 2027. This allegation comes amid growing controversy over Pantami's emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and his exclusion from the list published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement issued on October 10, 2026, the Pantami Campaign Organisation and the Pantamiyya Movement accused unnamed individuals of attempting to frustrate what they described as good and responsible leadership in Gombe State. The statement, signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, however, did not identify those allegedly involved. The campaign organisation urged Pantami's supporters to remain calm, describing the controversy surrounding his candidacy as a temporary challenge.
Pantami's governorship ambition has been engulfed in controversy despite his victory in the PDP's court-ordered primary rerun held on September 29, 2026. The former minister secured 2,054 votes, defeating Khamisu Mailantarki, who polled 389 votes, while Aliyu Garry received 112 votes. The rerun followed a September 24 judgment of the Federal High Court in Gombe, which nullified the earlier primary that produced Pantami as the party's candidate.
The fresh exercise triggered another dispute after Mailantarki rejected the outcome and demanded that Pantami's votes be cancelled. Mailantarki alleged that Pantami was ineligible to contest the primary because he joined the PDP after the May 10 deadline for submitting the party's membership register to INEC. Pantami had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) through a letter dated May 19, 2026, following disagreements with the party's leadership in Gombe State.
Garry also rejected the rerun results, describing the exercise as fundamentally flawed and threatening legal action. Pantami's subsequent omission from INEC's published list of candidates further complicated the dispute over the party's governorship ticket. Despite the development, his campaign expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved, maintaining that its legal and liaison teams were engaging the relevant authorities.
The campaign organisation stated that it is aware of the people working behind the scenes to frustrate good and responsible leadership in Gombe State, but their legal and liaison teams are already engaging with the relevant organs of the party and INEC to ensure full compliance and rectification within the window provided by law. They expressed confidence that the matter will be resolved by the grace of Allah.
The controversy remains unresolved ahead of the 2027 governorship election. The Pantami Campaign Organisation and the Pantamiyya Movement continue to engage with the PDP and INEC to resolve the matter within the period permitted by law.
Key points
- Pantami's campaign organisation alleges individuals are working to frustrate his 2027 governorship bid in Gombe State.
- Pantami's emergence as PDP governorship candidate has been engulfed in controversy.
- The matter remains unresolved ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
